Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Upon returning home from my parents - and a few days worth of incredibly wonderful eating - Mike and I were up for some healthy eats.  My mom had mentioned this soup found on Pinterest, and I couldn't stop thinking about a hearty bowl of it.

As my gym is right next to the grocery store, I often scoot over after a work out.  For some reason - I picked up the 'pure pumpkin' to make sure it wasn't the pie filling, and must have set it down.  Hence why I made the avocado wraps instead...

I like this recipe.  Again - I added some pepper, and also added corn and white beans. Because the wraps were a little too salty, I didn't add quite the whole tablespoon this calls for.  I think it needed it.  Also, next time I would do what my mom did and not blend the soup.  I like the chili like texture better - and it didn't look pretty blended.  I used the agave sweetener and it was great!  Because my husband is into pumpkin seeds these days - I had the perfect garnish.

Give it a shot! =) Served it with a side spinach salad with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese - so good!

Cumin Chicken Avocado Wraps

I've adapted a recipe from a vegan site my mom found on Pinterest.  "Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes" - Almost raw lime cumin avocado tacos - yummo.  Fun lunch!

I have been craving chicken wraps with sprouts and avocado - one of my favorite entrees from Ragtime in Arlington's Courthouse where I used to work.  So I added the chicken to an obviously non-meat oriented meal.  It was delish. :)  Only tweak was adding a hint of cracked black pepper - as I tend to add to everything...

Trying my hand at photography...

Perhaps an unspoken 'resolution' - or hobby is a better word? - learning to capture better shots.  I was inspired by the breadth of nature all around.  The shots before and after sunrise were breathtaking.  Pictures don't do justice, but still fun to try..

Taken in the mountains of Wintergreen, Virginia at my parents' mountain house

Christmas Morning Delight!

We shared a wonderful breakfast on Christmas morning - something I'd spotted on Pinterest and saved for the occasion.  Our first Christmas morning together as husband and wife where we didn't shove off first thing for family time. 

The recipe was fairly simple to put together, though I'm not sure I liked the texture of the pancakes.  They seemed kind of dense and 'light' - in that the lack of fat in the recipe seemed to make them very chewy.  In addition to exchanging the recipe, I also would sub red food coloring for beet juice - I've heard its a much healthier option, and perhaps would have brought forth a brighter color than the food coloring did.  The contrast between white and red was a fun idea!

The fudge syrup sauce, however, was awesome, and a fun topping!  It took me forever to find a candy cane to use - but Walgreens saved me on Christmas eve night.  It was smashed up and dissolved into a conglomeration of cocoa powder, chocolate, corn syrup, and amazingness to create a spread unlike any other.  

As Rachel Ray says - "yummo!"

Fudge syrup:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (160 g) glucose (or light corn syrup, agave nectar)
Crushed candy canes, I used about 12 medium ones, about 150g
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
2.6 oz (75 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used Lindt 70%), you can also use milk chocolate if you are worried about it being too rich
Extra crushed candy canes, to serve
From: http://www.raspberricupcakes.com/2011/12/christmas-pancakes-with-candy-cane.html

Merry Christmas Eve!

I didn't get any pictures of my mother in law's incredible Christmas Eve dinner - breaded shrimp, linguini and clam sauce with bread and salad.  To die for! 

It seemed the more we ate...the more sweets appeared.  (Heaven?)  4 pints of ice cream, chocolate cake, cannoli's and italian cookies, and lemon merengue pie now pictured!









Love to see an old picture of my sweet husband on his mom's tree. 

Merry Christmas!

A bittersweet day...

While the world learned about, and suffered alongside of, the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, I was sequestered in my kitchen for a day of Christmas baking.  The year before I was so engrossed in paper-writing that I did little more than mix together an egg with pre-made sugar cookie mix.  I set aside this beautiful Friday to watch Christmas movies and bake sweets. 

And while I did churn out many great treats, the date will always be connected with the lives of innocent boys, girls, and women that were forever destroyed by insane brutality.  

With that said, I am thankful for the gift of time and opportunity to spend with food in our kitchen.  This is a recipe for a 'Stollen' as suggested by my mom.  It is an incredible three-layer coffee cake, baked to perfection and iced with powdered sugar, butter, milk, and sweetness of the soul. 

Dough is mixed, kneaded and rises.  A cinnamon, brown sugar blend is liberally sprinkled between the soft and delicate layers, and transformed into this beauty.  Looks even better baked! 


Recipe to follow (including other cookies made)

Christmas

Obviously didn't get too far with the 'Thanksgiving' theme of the month.  I felt - as with some trends - that it was a bit forced.  But I do think the intentionality of developing a life of gratitude is also incredibly important.  I am thankful for the example of so many FB friends who consistently shared what they are thankful for - and it helped me to pause and reflect for myself...

And that is something I look forward to with Christmas.  I love the intentionality of using the brief time before Christmas day to generate joy and love with every aspect of life - food, decorations, activities, even mail!  It can be overwhelming - because we try to cram so many traditions into a short period of time.  And each activity is so precious and anticipated all year.  But I hope to live each day with the spirit of anticipation and gratitude, realizing not everything will happen, but what will happen is more important than what doesn't.

I look forward to taking time to enjoy each and every day of the month of December.  And I'm thankful for the 6 days left in November to plan for it!!

Love

Day two (2):  Thankful for the gift of love - especially as seen shared so freely and generously by my friends.  I fear that since beginning seminary and the pursuit of 'my call' - I have lost sight of what its like to love others unconditionally.  I've lost sight of love as a noun - giving it away and deliberately seeking out ways to give and show love.
So I am thankful for the ones around me who continue to exemplify such selfless living.  My friends and family are my strength; with their example, I will live into this same pattern of living.  And in the meantime, I am the blessed recipient of selfless acts of kindness and grace beyond measure.

Readily - day 1

I like to follow the latest trends - and in FB it seems to be using November as a month of THANKS!  Gratitude is an incredible gift for the soul, perhaps even moreso than for those we surround ourselves with.

grat·i·tude/ˈgratəˌt(y)o͞od/

Noun:	The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Synonyms:	gratefulness - thankfulness - thanks - appreciation

I like this.  I also feel it is a quality that I must strive for daily, as I'm so quick to judge - to break down and identify negatives.  How can I learn to be READY to show appreciation?  The answer: learn from others!  Case in point - this Facebook initiative of daily identifying things I am thankful for. 

Today (Nov 1) - I am thankful for the true gift and blessing of my husband.  To have someone in my life that loves me so unconditionally and forgives me so readily, who loves his family deeply, and who trusts in God above all.  I seek to follow after his example in all that I do and say.  And to return his love - 'readily'.

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta

I found this recipe and it sounded so mouth-watering!  I bought all the ingredients - and then life got crazy.  The basil didn't make it unfortunately, but still had the walnuts, goat cheese, and pasta on hand.

Cutting into the squash, I am reminded of how rich and deep the orange color is inside the thick outer shell!  Perfect for Halloween!

I adapted Giada's recipe - trying to make it slightly healthier and less quantity.  I used reviews to also adjust - a great idea I got from my mom.  I also swapped out penne for cavatappi (personal preference!)  Below is her recipe - and I'll show how I modified it.  Definitely give this one a try!!

Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta (I just used half a box)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled (I used only 2 oz - worked ok)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
• 1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves (dried basil seemed to do ok - though I'm sure no comparison with fresh basil!)
• I also added 1/2 bag of frozen peas
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drainand reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash andonion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnishwith Parmesan and serve.

Here's the link!  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/penne-with-butternut-squash-and-goat-cheese-recipe/index.html

Learning again...

It has been a long while (nearly 4 months!) since my last posting.  But I have slowly been returning to the activities that first initiated this blog... Mike and I no longer provide a home to a basil plant.  The last one I had kept falling off our deck, and I did a poor job of caring for it.  But I have done lots of cooking - particularly trying to go seasonal!

From http://warmvanillasugar.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/2613_roasted_butternut_squash.jpg

I stopped getting my subscription to Cooking Light as I found I was getting overwhelmed with all the recipes each month.  However, they are still online and are very helpful when going to the grocery store.  But I also love the ideas from trusty Food Network!  I really like the variety of styles of the various hosts on the network and the reminder of what actually is in-season.

I am enjoying a free preview of the Cooking Channel!  We normally don't get it - but it shows a lot of the older shows I used to watch with my mom, plus new faves like Kelsey's Kitchen and Not My Mama's Meals (Bobby Dean's remake of Paula's rich recipes).  It is becoming my new hobby, as I share with Mike.

One thing we find, however, is by pursuing a 'hobby' of cooking, one spends more time (read: Money!) at the store.  So I'm also learning to cook healthily and seasonally while also frugally.  I found this site helpful in a quick search - and this one was creative and inspiring as well.

Anyhow - a quick look into how we're enjoying the fruits of the fall while also trying to remain financially savvy!  More to come...

Return of the plant...

The basil plant has returned!  The Stewarts are excited for the summertime opportunities with fresh veggies, herbs, and a dash of pepper!  We have been supporting a local farm, purchasing a half-share of a CSA box.  However, I was a little disappointed that several of the veggies listed in the stock weren't included.  We don't usually go through so much squash and zucchini, and I think I might start frequenting the farmers' markets instead.  

Next week is the 4th of July!  I'm already planning some strawberry/blueberry combos.  Looking forward to reviving a basil plant - and the blog :)